The government recently hardened its rhetoric against the rebels after 10 policemen were killed in a landmine attack in the eastern Orissa state, with Chidambaram calling the rebels "cowards".

In February, at least 25 policemen were killed in the eastern state of West Bengal when Maoists attacked a camp. And in March 2007, the Maoists were blamed for an attack that killed 55 policemen, also in Chhattisgarh.

The rebels mostly draw support from tribal groups and the poor in rural areas.

The Maoists are also known as Naxals, after a small village called Naxalbari in the Indian state of West Bengal where the first armed uprising took place some 40 years ago.

About 2,000 people, including police, rebels and civilians, have been killed over the past few years.

Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments
are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct
or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and
global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in
accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.